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The Calgary Flames are, indeed, in second-to-last spot in the NHL’s Western Conference standings.

They did, indeed, just trade their biggest star and longtime captain to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Unless they can turn Miserable March into Undefeated April, the Flames won’t be on the guest-list for the annual post-season party.

With a home-and-home series against the arch-rival Edmonton Oilers, a date with the San Jose Sharks in the Silicon Valley and then a Hockey Night in Canada showdown with the Vancouver Canucks, this is the type of week that should have fans frothing at the mouth.

Instead, it’s all about Wednesday’s trade deadline. With all the rumours and rumblings, the games seem secondary.

Here are five burning questions among a Flames Nation still a bit stunned after seeing Jarome Iginla in a Penguins uniform for the first time …

1. What should we expect on deadline?

If somebody had a phone-tap in the office of Flames GM Jay Feaster, maybe the whole hockey world wouldn’t have believed Iginla was on the brink of becoming a member of the Boston Bruins last week. The only thing that is certain is what Feaster has told us — the Flames will be active before Wednesday’s trade deadline. He hates the term, but it’s clear the Flames are in ‘rebuild’ mode. No-trade clauses make this is a tricky issue, but don’t be surprised if Feaster sells off several assets over the next few days, looking for picks, prospects or young roster players in return.

2. Who’s ready for big-league duty?

If Feaster does, indeed, move a few more bodies before Wednesday’s trade deadline, the Flames will need to bring up reinforcements from the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, whose own playoff aspirations are on extremely thin ice. Akim Aliu (23), Sven Baertschi (20) and Roman Horak (21) are the most likely bets among the forward group, but maybe 21-year-old centre Max Reinhart, coming off his most effective month as a pro, will also get a shot. On defence, 23-year-old Chris Breen has intriguing size — he’s 6-foot-7 and 224 lb. — but needs to prove he can skate with the big boys.

3. What’s wrong with Miikka Kiprusoff?

The flexible netminder finds himself at the bottom of another sort of standings. Heading into Sunday’s action, only two other ’tenders had worse numbers than Kiprusoff’s 3.52 goals-against average and .873 save percentage. The investigation should start with the guys in front him — the Flames’ defensive zone coverage has been a major concern all season — but Kiprusoff is also guilty of surrendering more softies than the Saddledome faithful are accustomed to seeing. With speculation he might retire after the season, this surely isn’t the type of farewell the 36-year-old had in mind.

4. Should I ignore phone calls from the 780 area code?

Unless you’re living in a cabin in the woods (and I don’t think the Sun delivers there), you probably have a neighbour or co-worker who roots for the Oilers. Even worse, you likely have a buddy now living in Edmonton, and it’s no coincidence they only call before the provincial rivals meet. So should you accept a wager this week? The Oilers have a stockpile of young stars — Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, to name a few — but, just like the Flames, they’re prone to fire-drills in their own zone. These could be high-scoring instalments of the Battle of Alberta.

5. Who inherits Iggy’s scoring crown?

Iginla was the club’s leading point-producer for an NHL-record 11 straight seasons — further evidence of the massive impact he had on the Flames franchise. With Iggy now skating alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as a member of the Penguins, there will be a new scoring king at the Saddledome. Heading into Monday’s date with the Oilers, Alex Tanguay and Michael Cammalleri are tied atop the Flames’ stats-sheet with 25 points apiece. This is hardly a two-horse race, though. Lee Stempniak has 23 points, while goal-scoring leader Curtis Glencross and Jiri Hudler each have 22.

Flames' Five Burning Questions

The Calgary Flames are, indeed, in second-to-last spot in the NHL’s Western Conference standings.

They did, indeed, just trade their biggest star and longtime captain to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Unless they can turn Miserable March into Undefeated April, the Flames won’t be on the guest-list for the annual post-season party.

With a home-and-home series against the arch-rival Edmonton Oilers, a date with the San Jose Sharks in the Silicon Valley and then a Hockey Night in Canada showdown with the Vancouver Canucks, this is the type of week that should have fans frothing at the mouth.

Instead, it’s all about Wednesday’s trade deadline. With all the rumours and rumblings, the games seem secondary.

Here are five burning questions among a Flames Nation still a bit stunned after seeing Jarome Iginla in a Penguins uniform for the first time …